side effects of SI dysfunction....

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hip pain upper leg pain lower back pain pain in the buttocks immobility and stiffness

v Listed below are a couple of SI Joint exercises good for stabilization of the pelvis:

Knee Stirs: Position: Lying on your back with your spine in neutral(tailbone and lower ribs in contact with the mat, natural curve in the lumbar spine), and hands on your hip bones. Movement: Exhale as you fold one knee up to a 90 degree angle from the hip so the shin is parallel to the floor. Feel the head of the thigh bone sink into the hip socket. Keeping the pelvis stable and hips level circle the knee feeling the head of the femur rotate in the hip socket. Circle clockwise and counterclockwise 4-8 times each direction for each leg.

Butterfly stretch: Position:

Lying on your back with knees bent and squeezed together feet flat, place your hands on your hip bones and keep them still or level with the ceiling. Movement: Keeping your spine neutral with tailbone down and middle ribs pressed into the mat let your knees fall apart until you feel a gentle stretch in the groin, as you exhale draw them back together feeling the deeper pelvic floor muscles working. Keep the buttocks relaxed. Do this for 6-10 repetions. Variation: Drop just one leg at a time toward the floor making sure the opposite buttock stays in contact with the mat and the hips stay level. Prone Leg Circles: Position: Lying on your stomach with your head resting on forearms overhead, legs extended, and pubic bone pressed into the mat with abdominal muscles activated. Movement: Bend one leg at a 90 degree angle and circle the lower part of the leg 6 times each direction. Be sure to keep the hip bones and pubic bone in contact with the mat and abdominals drawn up and in keeping the pelvis still as you circle just the lower part of the leg.

Some of the SI Joint exercises that can be helpful in alleviating pain and stiffness are: Knee to chest stretch: Exhale as you engage the abdominal muscles gently drawing one knee at a time to the chest, hold for a 2 count, then release. Do this 8-10 times with each leg.

Knee Sways: Lying on your back with your knees bent and together with your feet flat on the floor, gently sway the knees side to side. The lower back should remain fairly still on the mat. As you improve you will be able to let the knees sway further to the floor feeling the lower back and hips peel off the mat. Do this for 4-8 times each side.

Pelvic stabilization exercises should be performed to strengthen muscles that support a joint that may be too loose. This is important because the extra motion can cause wear and tear on the joint cartilage leading to degeneration and arthritis. Pilates exercises focus on stabilizing the Pelvic girdle which, in turn stabilizes the Sacroiliac Joint.

Pelvic stabilization exercises are important because it must transmit forces from the weight of your head, trunk and upper extremities down, and forces from the lower extremities upward. Below you will find some of the 40-plus detailed pictures and exercises outlined in the new Pilates ebook with more si joint exercise available here. Many of these are good hip flexor exercises that strengthen the front of the pelvis as well as the back. If you are looking to do exercises for sacroiliac joint pain then your first focus should be to stabilize the pelvis, including the sacrum in proper alignment.

DO NOT do SI Joint Exercise in poor pelvic alignment, you will only stabilize the faulty alignment and cause more problems! FIRST Learn neutral spine: Neutral spine exercises for sacroiliac joint pain are the healthiest and most stable position for the spine and pelvis taking in to account the natural curvature of the spine. Standing: Back up against a wall with your buttocks and shoulder blades leaning into the wall. Notice whether your lower back is against the wall or if there is an excessive arch there. The latter is more common. To achieve neutral keep the buttocks and shoulders against the wall and then draw the middle part of your back into the wall. You should feel the abdominal muscles engage and/or the ribs drawing in. Lying: Lying on a mat with your knees bent and feet hip width apart, arms at your side. Begin by releasing your tailbone down creating an arc in the lower back, move up into the mid back and draw it down without flattening the spine. The shoulder blades are down and heavy and the back of the neck is long, do this by drawing your chin down towards your chest leaving the size of a fist space there. Sitting: When sitting in a chair press your bottom right up against the back of the chair then stack the rest of the spine over it. Your collarbone is over your hip bones and your breastbone is right above the pubic bone. Navel drawn in gently.

Proper posture is the best way to reduce tension from sitting at work all day, on computers, driving, etc.

Find out more about achieving neutral spine and exercises for sacroiliac joint pain in the new Pilates ebook packed with valuable pictures and detailed descriptions to get you out of pain!

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Pelvic Stabilization Exercises for Sacroiliac Joint Pain: Wall squats Position: Standing in neutral against the wall with your feet the length of your thighs away from the wall. Action: Bend your knees no lower than a 90 degree angle keeping your weight in the heels evenly for both feet. Kneecaps should line up with the second toe in each foot. Repeat for 8-12 repetitions. Do 2-3 sets every other day. Cues: Place hands on hip bones and make sure they stay level as you bend and lift, also keep the buttocks, shoulder blades, and mid part of the back against the wall throughout the exercise.

Pelvic clocks Position: Lying on the floor with neutral spine and knees bent. Action: Imagine your pelvis as a clock. 12 oclock is at your navel, 6 is at your pubic or tailbone, 3 and 9 are the hip bones. Now imagine there is water in that clock or bowl and you are going to empty from 12 oclock around clockwise and then counterclockwise feeling each number on the clock working. Cues: Keep the knees still so you are just mobilizing the pelvis.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Position: Lying in neutral spine.

Action: Without changing the position of your spine inhale deeply through the nose filling up or expanding into the ribs and upper back, then exhale through your mouth expelling the air again without changing the spine. On the exhale feel all the air leave your body feeling the muscles tighten around the waist as your abdomen flattens.

THIRD Strengthening Exercises for Sacroiliac Joint Pain: Once you have a stable and aligned pelvis you can begin mobilizing exercises to continue strengthening.

Leg Circles Position: Lying on the floor with one leg extended along the mat and the other at a 90 degree angle to the floor and a neutral spine. Action: Keeping the pelvis still circle the thigh (leg) in the hip socket 6 times each direction. Switch legs. Cues: Focus on keeping the torso and leg on the mat very still as you freely circle the leg in the air.

Bridges Position: Lying in neutral with knees bent arms at your side. Action: Inhale to prepare and exhale as you press into your heels lifting the pelvis up in neutral until weight is between shoulder blades not in the neck. Inhale hold then exhale to bring the tailbone and ribs down all at one time. Cues: Focus on the navel drawn in to lift the pubic bone up to the ceiling. Weight even in the feet. Note: Rotation and side bending exercises can be added as you are symptom free in neutral spine.